Candidates in high gear on last day of filing in McHenry County
The name of McHenry County State's Attorney Louis Bianchi will appear just once on February's Republican primary ballot, but his presence could loom large in at least one other county race next year.
Bianchi, engaged in a heated primary contest with former prosecutor Dan Regna, could become an issue, and an influence, in the battle for the GOP's County Auditor nomination.
That race will pit incumbent Pam Palmer, a critic of spending by the state's attorney's office, with Richard Kelly Jr., the chairman of the county's zoning board of appeals whose effort has received a boost from Bianchi allies, including Bianchi's wife.
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Along with the hotly contested Congressional seat being vacated by former U.S. Speaker Dennis Hastert, these are the races to watch in the northern Fox Valley in the Feb. 5 primary.
Monday was the deadline for candidates in the primary to submit their petitions for spots on the ballot.
A review of nominating papers filed by Richard Kelly Jr. last week shows that Bianchi's wife, Jean, notarized seven of the 63 pages of signatures turned in by the candidate. Bianchi's office manager and campaign co-chair, Karen Rhodes, and his office's chief investigator, Ron Salgado, circulated petitions on Kelly's behalf.
Kelly, an attorney from Crystal Lake, said Monday he was not urged by Bianchi or anyone else to challenge Palmer, but gladly accepted assistance when it was offered after he decided to run.
"I decided on my own to run," he said. "But I'm certainly not going to turn down help."
Palmer declined comment on the support Kelly is receiving, but said she was not surprised by it.
"If someone is going to run against me, whatever their reasons are, I will just run on my strengths and what I believe I've done for the county," she said.
Bianchi and Palmer clashed recently over revelations the state's attorney's office since December 2004 had received $17,000 in taxpayer-funded reimbursements for candy, snacks, meals and other expenses the auditor labeled inappropriate.
The Palmer-Kelly race is one of two countywide Republican contests on tap for the Feb. 5 primary. In the other Bianchi, a first-term incumbent, will face Regna, a former state's attorney prosecutor cut loose from the office following Bianchi's 2004 election.
Voters in three of the McHenry County Board's six districts will go to the polls Feb. 5 to settle primary contests, including a rare nomination battle among Democrats.
In board District 1, Republican incumbent Marc Munaretto is seeking one of two nominations along with Lowell A. Cutsforth, Robert "Bob" Bless and Bill Yocius of Fox River Grove.
In District 3, incumbent GOP board members Mary L. Donner of Crystal Lake and Nick Provenzano of McHenry will be challenged by Prairie Grove resident Kurt W. Millman for two nominations.
In a crowded District 6 field, five Republicans will race for two nominations. They are incumbent Randall Donley, former board member Ersel Schuster of Woodstock, Harry W. Alten Jr. of Harvard, John S. Jones of Woodstock and Roger N. Naylor of Marengo.
On the Democrats' side, Darryl M. Frank of Woodstock, Andrew J. Georgi Jr. of Harvard and Robert Ludwig of Harvard are seeking one of two spots on the general election ballot.
Congress
Four Republicans and three Democrats are vying to replace the retiring U.S. Rep. Dennis Hastert, a Plano Republican. On the Republican side is Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, state Sen. Chris Lauzen, dairy magnate Jim Oberweis and Michael Dilger, a dark horse from Evanston.
Facing off on the Democratic side are scientist Bill Foster, two-time candidate John Laesch, and attorney Jotham Stein.
In the 16th Congressional District, which encompasses much of McHenry County, incumbent Republican Donald Manzullo of Leaf River will not face a primary challenger. But he will face Barrington Hills Village President Robert Abbound, a Democrat, and McHenry County College President Scott Summers, a Green Party candidate, next November.
State legislature
Incumbent House Rep. Tim Schmitz, a Batavia Republican, will face a primary opponent. Because no Democrat filed for Schmitz's 49th district seat, the winner of the Republican primary between him and Jim Krenz of Carpentersville is almost guaranteed the seat.
McHenry County legislators Pamela Althoff, Michael Tryon and Jack Franks will be unchallenged in the primary, although Tryon will have competition come November.
Kane County
The Kane County Board chairman and three county board members will face challengers in the primary. On the GOP side, board critic Jim MacRunnels will challenge chairman Karen McConnaughay.
The winner of the chairman's race will face Democrat Sandy Kaczmarski in the general election.
Democrat incumbent Hollie Kissane of Carpentersville is unopposed in her bid for another term in District 24.
Larry Wegman and Richard Bennett are fighting for the Republican nomination in District 20, located in Elgin. Two Democrats also are competing in Elgin-based District 20; newcomer Cristina Castro will challenge incumbent Jesus de la Isla.
There are no primaries slated for other countywide offices. The Republican circuit clerk, recorder, state's attorney, auditor and coroner face no opposition from within their party.
Judicial races
In the Elgin judicial subcircuit, former Kane County State's Attorney David Akemann filed as a Republican as has Patricia Golden, who currently serves as a 16th Judicial Circuit Judge and also was the first director of the Kane County Child Advocacy Center. John Noverini, a Kane County board member and former Carpentersville trustee, is the only Democrat who filed.